We've now been in Arkansas for two years now. It was so hard to leave my family when we first moved here. I've never lived away from my family and the kids & I were used to see my parents almost daily. Upon arriving, my main focus was on settling in and making our house a home. Honestly, I didn't want to make friends and not because I was mad that we had moved halfway across the country. But because I was mourning being separated from my family and friends I had known since elementary school.
I didn't want the kids to be too upset about moving so I (we - Bobby and I both) made every effort to make it all a big, fun adventure. We set about finding our local library and seeing what other fun things there was for us to do. It was a little slow going but they made friends with kids in our neighborhood (how awesome that we live in an actual neighborhood!) And when we joined a local church family, they were able to make friends there as well.
Bobby, thankfully, gave me a little time to adjust but then pushed me to reach out and get to know ladies from our fellowship and to begin making new friendships. That was such a new experience for me! As I said before, most of my friends I had known since school days. So having to start new was awkward. Was I talking too much? Not enough? Did they really like me or were they just humoring me? It's crazy but that's some of the things I struggled with. But God is so faithful and brought so many ladies into my life to love me and encourage me -Tracy and Mariah especially. In turn, He has brought other ladies into my life for me to love and encourage.
In SC we had so many friends that home schooled that I didn't feel the need to join a home school support group. So one thing we definitely needed to do in AR was join our local Christian Home School support group. I'm so glad we did. We've joined the co-op, gone on numerous field trips and Sammy has been able to play basketball through this group. It's been such a blessing to us.
At the end of summer last year Bobby had an on campus interview for Kansas State University. When we initially moved to Arkansas, I thought that it wouldn't matter where we moved after leaving South Carolina. I'd already left my loved ones so who cared where we moved after that? How wrong I was! I was slightly (I know God is in total control and His plan is better than what I can imagine!) worried that we would be moving to Kansas. I have made so many wonderful friends and love our life here that I didn't want to leave. Praise the Lord that He worked it out that for us to stay in Arkansas and Bobby got a raise!
I'm so spoiled living in a city. It's big enough that there are fun things to do and we live close to everything. But it's not so big that we're overwhelmed. Bobby is 15 minutes from work. We're 5 minutes from co-op on one side and our public library the other direction. As I said before, we have an actual neighborhood. We can walk to Dairy Queen or Firehouse Subs or McDonalds or Starbucks. We have a Walmart within five minutes of our house. The mall is 10 minutes away. There are numerous playgrounds for the kids to choose from and Bobby's work has an amazing museum to explore.
More and more, this little city is our home. When we go to South Carolina we say we're going home. When we're returning to Arkansas we say we're going home. It's still hard being away from my family. And so much has happened with them since I've left. I have to pray and trust that God is taking care of them better than I could anyway. Now I can't imagine my life without the community that we're a part of -without these wonderful crazy people that we get to fellowship with daily. A part of me wishes I could bring my SC family and friends here to AR. Yet, I miss the mountains and rivers. I miss the beauty of the leaves in the fall. I miss Clemson University.
I'm learning more and more that God's ways are most definitely better than my ways. While I dig my in my heels and don't want to leave what's familiar and comfortable, He knows what I need and pushes me forward.
We went home -SC- in August for the eclipse and to sell our house!
Amos is really enjoy City Stars soccer. This was his second season. City Stars is completely free for anyone who wants to participate.
I love our community that the Lord has blessed us with. Hannah & her husband, Mariah and her fiancé, plus Bobby & me completed the Whole 30. To celebrate we all went to the Memphis Zoo then out to eat to the Cheesecake Factory (to make up for 30 days without sugar or bread ya know!)
Our sweet buddy, Bentley, who we meet through our home school group and now get to babysit every Friday. We love him to pieces!!
Sammy has really enjoyed playing basketball through our homeschool group. This is his second year as a NEACHE Eagle.
